Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani delivered the art of slick suiting and a master class in bold color for Fall 2012. We're not just mesmerized by the double and triple vision stunts Armani pulled on his catwalk — though the sight of two or three models in the same sharp suiting, brilliant fuchsia and orange, and slick fedoras really drives the point home. Still, even without the "special effects," the collection is built up in confidence. Strong shapes and new silhouettes — like a return to longer menswear-style shorts paired with vibrant ladylike jackets and bold color-infused woven knits — result in something all at once androgynous and insanely glam. That's largely due to the fact that these Fall looks are saturated in hot pinks, purples, and orange; the palette is drama-inducing in itself — but add to that the luxuriousness of fur, crystal embellishment, and vibrant abstract print, and the resulting styles start to run into diva territory. There are few people, save for Anna Dello Russo or Lady Gaga, who could pull off a cotton-candy-feeling fur coat — fortunately the collection is also much more wearable than that. Gray suiting adorned with rosettes and finished with oxfords has a snappier feel than the lavishness of his color-saturated fur, and that's the bread and butter here: sportier evening themes and rich color play.

• Trends: Colored fur, slick fedoras, colorblocking, menswear, shorts cropped just above the knee, gloves, textured woven knits, abstract print, and sequins.
• Colors: Red, black, hot pink, orange, purple, and gray.
• Key Piece: The sequined coat has just the right slinky, sexy quality to it; we're taken with Armani's colorblocked hot-pink oxfords.
• Accessories: Cutout gloves, wide-brim fedoras, layered statement necklaces, colored oxford kicks, slick clutches.
• Who Would Wear It: The risk-taker with an eye for sharp silhouettes and statement color; Anna Dello Russo could rock the hot-pink fur — but she may just be about the only one who can.

>> Giorgio Armani's classic menswear tailoring got a jolt of youthful spirit for Fall 2012. It came in the form of pops of coral, pink, and berry, flat shoes, and sequined minidresses — all layered over wider versions of the Bermuda shorts the designer sent out at his Emporio show a few days ago. Adding to the sense of "Easy Chic" (the collection's name) were the angled fedoras perched cheekily atop every model's head. "The modern woman loves to dress in androgynous and masculine clothes, yet she doesn't want to sacrifice feminine subtlety and lightness," the show notes explained.

>> Metamorphosis and "the woman who is at first calm and easy and then is drawn out of her own skin" were the themes behind Giorgio Armani's Spring 2012 couture outing. Armani also tapped inspiration from reptiles — and, in particular, their shimmering, textural skins, which he rendered in nearly every shade of green. For day, the reptilian theme was present on sharp-shouldered blazers in croc or snakeskin, iridescent draped-front skirts, and slickly tailored pants. For evening, there were mermaid dresses in glistening sequins, scale-printed silk ballgowns, and swirling, second-skin sheaths. With a front row crowd of red-carpet hopefuls — including Jessica Chastain, who learned of her Oscar nod via phone just before the show began — it's safe to say we may be seeing a lot more of these looks very, very soon.

Jessica Chastain was in Paris this afternoon at the Giorgio Armani Prive runway show when the 2012 Oscar nominations were announced — but when the news that The Help star had earned a best supporting actress nod broke, the fashionable French crowd gave the actress a standing ovation!




Jessica may have been the woman of the hour at the Grand Palais, where the show was held, but she wasn't the only boldfaced name in attendance at the couture presentation. She was seated side-by-side with Cameron Diaz in a coveted front-row spot. The actresses both stopped to pose for pictures and chat with designer Giorgio Armani before taking their seats. Cameron had already made the scene at several major shows, including Chanel, Dior, and Versace, before putting in the appearance at Mr. Armani's show this morning. For all the highlights from the Paris runways, be sure to check out Fab's roundup of the 100 most beautiful couture week looks so far!